The 2025 Cannes Film Festival is spotlighting a notable trend among cinematographers: the embrace of imperfection. Many films are deliberately pursuing an "unclean" and flawed aesthetic, prioritizing mood and emotional impact over technical precision.
Techniques and Approaches
Cinematographers are employing diverse techniques to achieve this effect. Bertrand Mouly, for example, in "Dites Lui Que Je L'Aime," used Pyrex glass to create a distorted flashback effect. Amin Jafari, working on "A Simple Accident," emphasized the camera's role in shaping their perception, particularly in guerrilla filmmaking.
The Human Image
From the use of 16mm and 35mm film to clever digital solutions, filmmakers are prioritizing a human image, one full of flaws and lacking in sterile precision. This pursuit of imperfection is defining the visual language of many films showcased at Cannes this year. The 78th annual Cannes Film Festival is being held from May 13-24, 2025.